Vesak Bulletin, May 3, 2009

Join the Washington Mindfulness Community for a Day of Mindfulness!

9:30a – 4 p.m., Sunday May 3rd, 2009, Blueberry Gardens, 237 Ashton Road, Ashton, MD 20861

Gather together with friends in the Washington Mindfulness Community, in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh, for a day of silence, meditation, rest, joy, mindful exercise, walking meditation, dharma sharing and mindful eating in a beautiful setting in the Octagon at Blueberry Gardens. Only 13 miles from D.C., this 15-acre blueberry farm will help us enjoy the beauty and peace of a May Sunday.

How to register: Please e-mail Bill Jenkins at worldofmuse at aol dot com to reserve a space. Donations of $15 may be sent to WMC at PO Box 11168, Takoma Park, MD 20913 or Paypal using WashingtonMindfulnessCommunity at Live dot com. Please include your phone and e-mail info.

The WMC will NOT meet at the Washington Buddhist Vihara on the evening of May 3, 2009.

Please read the invitation and message below from the Washington Buddhist Vihara about festivities there:

"The Washington Buddhist Vihara will be celebrating Vesak, to commemorate the Birth, the Enlightenment and the Passing away of the Buddha and the 43rd anniversary of the Washington Buddhist Vihara, the mother of all Theravada Buddhist temples (the very first Theravada Buddhist temple) in the United States. This is undoubtedly the most sacred day of the Buddhist calendar and as it is done on an annual basis, this time the Washington Buddhist Vihara and the International Vesak Committee have put together a nice program that would enrich this year’s activities. Please come and experience a religious day at the Vihara to pay the greatest respect to the Buddha by following him.

Friends who wish to help the Committee to make this event a success, please make a donation to the Buddhist Vihara or contact Rani Karuanaratne (301) 340-0464, Nelum Basnayake (703) 827-8659, Rajika Jayatillake (240) 423-5021, or Ramani Weeramunda (301) 528-9830. We take this opportunity to thank the organizers of the Asian Food festival last month, Lalita Gunatilake, Tamara Upendra and Sriya Suraweera for their hard and wonderful work to make it a success.

Please consider observing 8 or 10 precepts, and be present by 9 a.m. at the Vihara."